WW1: Flanders & The Somme (from Cork)

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Follow in the footsteps of Irish & Munster soldiers

Follow in the footsteps of Irish & Munster soldiers on this remarkable 4 day tour and discover the WW1 battlefields of Flanders and the Somme where over 200,000 Irishmen fought. Guided by a professional historian with extensive knowledge of the role of Irish regiments, this tour visits key WW1 sites. A truly historic era in the world’s history, now you have the opportunity to see what happened for yourself.

Full day guided visit to the Somme Battlefields including including the site where Father Francis Gleeson preformed The Last General Absolution of the Munster Fusiliers & Le Touret Memorial, the 16th Irish Division Memorial at Guillemont, Beaumont Hamel Newfoundland Memorial, the 36th Ulster Divisions Ulster Tower, Thiepval Memorial and Pozieres Memorial

Visit to the world renowned Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917

Visit to the interactive In Flanders Field Museum in Ypres including entrance fee

Visit the Munster War Memorial in Ypres

Attendance at the emotive Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial

Free time for sightseeing and shopping of your own choice

Itinerary

Day 1 - Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917 & Menin Gate Memorial

Fly from Cork to Amsterdam. Meet your Tour Manager on arrival and transfer by executive coach to Ypres. Visit the world renowned Memorial Museum Passchendaele devoted to the 1917 Battle of Passchendaele (also known as the Third Battle of Ypres). It displays relics of the Great War including an extensive collection of impressive photos & in carefully replicated trenches visitors can imagine themselves in WW1. Continue to your hotel for check-in.

This evening hear the Last Post performed at the Menin Gate Memorial. This is one of the most visited memorials on the Western front and stands in commemoration to the 54,896 missing soldiers who lost their lives during battles in the area. Every evening at 8pm the noise of traffic ceases and a stillness descends over the memorial as the emotive “Last Post” is sounded in honour of these lost soldiers. Return to your hotel for overnight.

Day 2 - The Somme Battlefields

Breakfast at your hotel. Depart for the battlefield sites of the Somme. First visit the site where Father Francis Gleeson preformed The Last General Absolution of the Munster Fusiliers at Rue du Bois & Le Touret Memorial commemorating over 13,400 soldiers who were killed in this sector. You will then visit Loughnagar Crater, blown along with 16 others on the morning of 01 July 1916 as a two-minute precursor to the start of the Battle of the Somme offensive. The crater measured 300ft across and 90ft deep while debris from the explosion rose some 4,000ft into the air. Continue to the 16th Irish Division Memorial at Guillemont marking some of the bloodiest fighting of the whole Somme campaign.

Next visit The Ulster Tower, a memorial to the men of the 36th Ulster Division. Inside the tower is a small chapel with a number of paintings and plaques from the various towns and boroughs of Northern Ireland while at the entrance to the tower is a plaque commemorating the names of the nine men of the division who won the Victoria Cross during the Somme.

Continue to Thiepval Memorial. Standing in an isolated windswept position on the Somme, Thiepval is the largest and one of the most emotive “Memorials to the Missing” from any war. Then visit Newfoundland Park Memorial. Here you will remember the opening day of the Battle of Beaumont Hamel where 733 of 801 men, of the 1st Newfoundland Regiment, were killed or wounded. Finally stop at Pozieres Memorial before returning to your hotel for overnight.

Day 3 - Flanders Battlefields

Breakfast at your hotel. Today visit the battlefield sites of Flanders. Stop at the Munster War Memorial in Ypres inscribed “In memory of those men of Munster who died fighting for freedom. A tribute erected by the people of the province and Cork its capital city.” Visit the Francis Ledwidge Memorial to the renowned Irish poet in Artillery Wood Cemetery. Continue to Langemarc German cemetery, the only German cemetery in the Salient. Also visit Poelcapelle British Cemetery where Private John Condon of the Royal Irish Regiment is buried. From the parish of Trinity Without in Waterford City he is one of the youngest battle casualties of WW1 commemorated by the Commission.

Continue to Tyne Cott cemetery, the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world, the sheer number of graves making it difficult to take in. Inside the cemetery two mourning angels kneel on top of dome covered pavilions at either end of the memorial wall, highlighting the harrowing nature of the conflict in the surrounding area of Passchendaele. Next on the itinerary is the Island of Ireland Peace Park & the Irish Round Tower at its centre. This memorial is of particular significance as it was the first time Irish Catholic and Protestant soldiers united together to fight side by side against a common enemy. Continue to the 16th Irish Division Memorial at Wytschaete, commemorating the 16th Division’s capture of Wytschaete on 07 June 1917, the opening day of the Battle of Messines. Your final stop today is Willie Redmond’s Grave in Locre. Willie Redmond was the brother of John Redmond, leader of the Irish parliamentary party. Return to your hotel for overnight.

Day 4 - In Flanders Museum & Departure

Breakfast at your hotel and check-out. Today visit the award winning In Flanders Field Museum before returning by executive coach to Amsterdam Airport for your return flight to Cork.

Accommodation

​3 nights accommodation in the New Regina Hotel located in the heart of Ypres with breakfast each morning

Extra Information

Price based on 2 sharing including all airport taxes & charges

Single room supplement €129pp. If you are travelling alone and are willing to share a twin room with another group member of the same sex, we will do our best to accommodate this request although it cannot be guaranteed

Non refundable / non transferable deposit of €250pp required at time of booking

Balance due 10 weeks before departure (2% charge on balance payments made by credit card)

Price includes 1 standard piece of hand luggage. Checked-in luggage is available to purchase prior to travel - prices may vary

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